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After a couple of poor displays on the road, most recently at Port Vale, the Stags now need to get back on the away points-winning trail. And the trip now is down South to a side the Stags faced often in their early Conference days, namely Crawley.

And only just two months ago, also on a Tuesday in a rearranged fixture, the Stags left it very late to win the corresponding home game. Two minutes remained when Walker sealed the tie in the Stags’ favour and in front of just 24 Crawley fans, possibly the lowest-ever away League Two following since records began. (In the Conf, some teams had a lower away following to Mansfield. Eastbourne, Grays and Histon to name but a few courtesy of the Stagsnet match reports).

Think the Stags will take a couple more fans down to West Sussex on forthcoming Tuesday night.

Last season’s away fixture was lost to a 2-0 scoreline in a game where the Stags did not show up at their then boss Steve Evans’ former headquarters.

During the first three of the Stags’ five seasons in the Conf, they faced Crawley with Steve Evans in their hot seat.

And incidentally, Steve Evans’ first game as Stags boss following the resignation of Adam Murray was the home fixture against Crawley two years ago when they on November 19, 2016 succumbed to a three-goal blitz inside ten minutes of the second half.

But Steve Evans bossed Crawley in all their Conference games against the Stags some time ago.

Among them was the very first game between the sides at Mansfield on January 17, 2009, a game which saw Steve Evans in the Crawley dug-out against a Stags boss who was to manage his first Stags fixture. Boss then: David Holdsworth, who saw a Rob Duffy wonder strike seal the game in the Stags’ favour. Evans was also Crawley boss in the first-ever game between the sides at Crawley in September 2008. Stags boss at Crawley then: Billy McEwan.

Incidentally enough, Mr Holdsworth’s final Stags league fixture was also against Crawley who were streets ahead of their then BSP rivals and showed why by winning 4-1 at Mansfield on October 30, 2010. Those four goals scored by Crawley were the only ones they had ever scored at Mansfield before the first game for Steve Evans as Stags boss.

In between, Dave Holdsworth oversaw a 4-0 rout against the outfit managed by Steve Evans on the opening day of the 2009-10 season, August 8, 2009.

But this is not the worst rout Steve Evans endured in the opposition dug-out against the Stags. During the Boston FL days a decade ago, the Boston Pilgrims were routed big style at Field Mill on March 11, 2006, to a 5-0 scoreline which made Mr Evans cut out the Sunday break for his side.

Three seasons ago, the Stags inflicted the second 4-0 demolition on Crawley of all time. On September 12, 2015, this was also the Stags’ first home victory that campaign.

That same campaign, Crawley were back in League Two after three seasons at League One level, having gone straight through League Two after their runaway BSP victory in the 2010-11 season.

That season also saw a recent Stags goalie play against the Stags for Crawley on March 29, 2011, when a depleted Stags side, just three subs, lost to a 2-0 scoreline down South.

Crawley were to be one of several sides being promoted to the FL from the current National League to go straight through to the current League One (others include Stevenage, Macclesfield, Wycombe) in their debut FL season. In 2011-12, Crawley finished in third position by beating Accrington by the only goal of the game on the final day of that season.

Three seasons in League One followed, best position tenth in 2012-13. That season, ex-Stag Richie Barker was Crawley manager all that term up to November 2013, when he was replaced by John Gregory.

By the time of the original date of play at Mansfield, Crawley were mid-table following a 3-0 home victory against Crewe last Saturday after a lesson of clinical finishing, even without the player who scored the Stags’ goal back in League Two five years ago at Wycombe. The player in question, Ollie Palmer, was suspended due to accumulating five bookings. Palmer, who incidentally scored in the 90th minute for Lincoln at One Call last season, has scored thirteen league goals for Crawley so far, among them both at home to Grimsby last weekend and is definitely one to watch out for.

Although the Stags before the 2008-09 campaign never did face Crawley in any competition, a couple of players have appeared for both sides. Here they are (details on some are listed below):

* Philip Barber. A loanee from Bristol City, who figured in Crystal Palace's FA Cup finals team of 1989-90. Phil scored once for the Stags, in a 1-1 draw at Scunthorpe on December 9, 1995. He finished his career at Crawley around 1997.

* Graham Brown. Came to us from Crawley in the season after our FA Cup QF run, and despite competition from Dave Hollins and Rod Arnold yet kept the Stags goal 143 times in the League, the first a 1-0 home win against Gillingham on August 9, 1969, the last in a 1-4 defeat at Crystal Palace on November 29, 1975. Brown also kept Blackpool at bay in the FA Cup fourth round on January 24, 1970, and was also the custodian in the fifth round tie at Leeds' Elland Road a fortnight later.

* David Coles. Another goalie who played just three Division Four games (all drawn) for the Stags in April 1983 before going south to Aldershot but did not keep goal there in the season in which the Shots folded (1991-92, details checked). Had a short spell at Crawley before joining Yeovil.

* Ray Keeley. Came to us from Crawley in June 1968 and made his Stags league debut at Brighton in a 2-1 victory on August 10, 1968, then the Stags first-ever points haul at the Seagulls' nest. Keeley's first Stags league goals came when he scored both in a 2-3 defeat at Southport on October 7, 1968, and became a legend when scoring the second goal in the famous FA Cup fifth round demolition of West Ham on February 26, 1969. But before that, Keeley had scored two FA Cup goals, one in the 4-1 home win over Tow Law, one in a 2-2 draw at Rotherham on December 7, 1968. Keeley's final Stags league goal came in a 2-1 win at Halifax on October 25, 1969, and his final Stags league appearance came in the 1-0 victory at Bradford City on April 22, 1970 in the Stags' final league game that campaign.

* Jefferson Louis. Much-travelled striker who played for us in the 2007-08 campaign, came from Weymouth, scored our 90th minute winner at Wycombe in February 2008 in front of the previewer, was then Wrexham's top scorer. Has figured in several previews during the last decade and has played for loads of clubs during his career, last season for Oxford City, this season’s Colchester FA Cup giant-killers at their place. He played for Crawley in the 4-0 rout on the opening day of the 2009-10 campaign.

* Gary Mills. Came to the Stags from Stevenage, did also play for Forest Green. Played some twenty games for Crawley in 2006-07 sandwiched in between two spells at Rushden & Diamonds.

* Tyrone Thompson. Came to Crawley from Halifax in 2007, played 44 games for the Red Devils in the 2007-08 campaign, later transferred to Torquay before joining the Stags.

More recently, Brian Jensen, Lewis Price and Mitchell Rose have played for both sides. Jeffrey Monakana and Emile Sinclair are yet two other players having appeared for both sides, as did Scott Shearer. Out of the players having appeared for both sides over the years, five are goalies: Graham Brown, David Coles, Brian Jensen, Scott Shearer and Lewis Price.

Most recent player appearing for both sides is our scorer at Port Vale last Saturday. Nicky Ajose played 19 games for Crawley in their debut League One campaign, the 2012-13 season. Ajose has also featured for two sides we’ve already played twice this season, namely Bury and Swindon.